How much water should we really be drinking?
Did you know that your body is made up of 60 - 75% water? No wonder it has such an effect on our bodies. Too much water can cause mineral imbalances while too little water could result in dehydration, headaches, or fatigue.
On average, men should drink 3 liters a day (13 cups), while women are advised to drink 2.3 liters a day (9 cups).
What's interesting, though, is that bio-individuality doesn't only apply to food but water consumption, as well. This means that your lifestyle and the way you eat, both, have a huge influence on your hydration levels and how much you should drink. For example, if you consume a lot of fruit and vegetables, you can reduce your water intake because they are both pretty high in water content. But if you live in a very hot or humid climate, you should up your water intake because you're probably losing a lot of body fluids through your sweat.
Water intake should be increased in the following situations:
hot & humid temperatures
high altitudes
while exercising and on days you've sweat a lot
any illness, incidence of fever
diarrhoea & vomiting
infections of the bladder or urinary tract
after a night of drinking (tip: drink a full glass before crashing in bed - TRUST me, it's worth it)
after a night of over-indulging
pregnancy/breast feeding
What's the best type of water to consume?
Not all water is created equal. There are, roughly, 5 different types of water offered to us. The first is tap water, which is the most readily-available but may not be the safest option, depending on your city's purification system. Water filters can help remove contaminants from water. Different water filters are good for removing different contaminants so it's a good idea to test out which ones are present in the water that you drink. Distillation, a process consisting of boiling water, also remove impurities and toxins. However, when using this process the naturally occurring minerals, believed to benefit our health, are lost. Bottled water has become increasingly popular due to convenience, however, there are growing concerns are chemicals from the plastic seeping into the water and the detrimental effect of plastic on the environment. Finally, water ionizers, have recently gained recognition for their ability to create alkaline ionized water through electrolysis. Although, ionized water has been praised a lot recently, here is an article by (the most amazing) Dr. Mercola highlighting its potentially harmful effects: https://goo.gl/zkchBg
10 Hydrating Foods
In addition to incorporating foods rich in water content below, I recommend avoiding these dehydrators: caffeinated beverages, alcohol, sugary drinks, foods high in sodium - mostly packaged and processed foods.
Cilantro
Cucumber
Celery
Watermelon (and other melons, too)
Citrus Fruits (like oranges, grapefruits, etc.)
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Bell Peppers
Zucchini
Coconut Water (not a 'food' but SO hydrating)
10 Benefits Of Staying Hydrated
Increases Energy & Productivity
Beats Fatigue
Promotes Weight-loss
Flushes Out Toxins
Improves Skin Complexion
Aids Digestions, Speeds Up Metabolism, & Promotes Regularity
Natural Headache Remedy
Boosts Immune System
Prevents Cramps & Strains
Improves Mood
Butterfly Pea Hydrating Drink
This drink is so fresh, light, and hydrating... perfect for a hot day out in the sun. And to top it all off, it's really pretty too. The Butterfly Pea plant is common to South East Asian Countries and has, recently, grown in popularity mostly due to it's beautiful blue-purpleish hue. Butterfly pea is full of anti-oxidants and is an anti-inflammatory. It is known to improve eye-sight, hair growth, skin, symptoms of anxiety, and works wonders for those with asthma.
Tip: The color of your butterfly pea changes depending on the pH of the liquid it's infused in. When adding butterfly pea to water, it turns a beautiful blue. However, when adding juice from a lemon or lime, it'll turn purple.
Ingredients:
Serves 2-4 people
1-2 cup water
1-2 cup coconut water
1/4 cucumber sliced
1 lime
8 dried butterfly pea flowers
1 stem lemongrass
1/4 cup boiling water
Method:
Place the butterfly pea flowers in 1/4 cup boiling water and let steep for at least 5 minutes
Meanwhile, pour the water, coconut water, sliced cucumber and stem lemongrass
Halve the lime. Squeeze the juice from half of it into a small cup or bowl and thinly slice the other half of it.
Pour the butterfly pea infusion into the water and coconut water liquid and mix
Finally, add the lime juice and watch how it changes color and add the sliced lime
Do you keep track of how much water you drink? And if so, how much??